7 Million Pounds Settlement Approved for Brain Damaged Boy

A seven year old boy, whose delayed delivery resulted in brain damage, has had a birth injury compensation package approved in the High Court which is estimated to be worth 7 million pounds.

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was born in 2004 at Ipswich Hospital, but suffered a hypoxic injury at the time of his birth which left him starved of oxygen and which would not have occurred had the delivery been brought forward.

The boy sustained a cerebral palsy injury and dystonia – a neurological disorder which causes muscle twitches resulting in repetitive movements or abnormal posture – which means he cannot stand, sit or grab items. The condition also affects his sleep, and has led to the child having speech impairments and learning difficulties.

At the High Court, Mr Justice Butterfield heard that Ipswich Hospitals NHS Trust had admitted negligence in 2007 and had now agreed to a compensation package which comprised of a lump sum of 3.25 million pounds, with further annual payments of 124,000 pounds a year – rising to 175,000 pounds a year in 2023.

The compensation package will pay for the specially adapted accommodation into which the boy´s family have already moved, ongoing speech and language therapy, supporting care and specialised equipment. The compensation package increases in 2023 to account for inflation and to cover the child´s loss of earnings.

Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Butterfield paid tribute to the boy´s parents, stating that “The parents have cared for this child with love and devotion over many years. The money is a tiny irrelevance for the difficulties they have gone through. At least the financial recompense is security for the future.”